The number of people going in and out of China for personal affairs through official permission in east China's Shandong Province exceeded 532,000 in 2001, eight percent more than the figure of the previous year.
Among them, the number of Chinese going abroad totaled 99,000, an increase of 14 percent. And 433,000 foreign nationals and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan came to China, up by seven percent.
Most Chinese went abroad for sightseeing, visiting relatives, business reasons or study, an official with the Shandong Provincial Public Security Department said.
To provide more convenient service, the local public security department has simplified exit-entry procedures, revoking 242 illegal agencies for handling exit and entry matters and approving 17 agencies which specifically serve students to be studying abroad.
(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2002)
